NCGA pleased with full deregulation of corn amylase

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Corn Growers Association is pleased with the decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to fully deregulate corn amylase (Event 3272) for all markets. APHIS had not found a plant pest risk associated with this event and reported a positive Environmental Assessment.

"Corn amylase is the first processing output trait to be scrutinized by our regulatory system," said Bart Schott, NCGA president and a grower from Kulm, N.D. "The potential importance of output traits to growers and industry will only increase as other output traits are developed."

Biotechnology has emerged as a key tool that allows growers and now processors to provide more food, feed, fuel and fiber to the world with fewer resources.

"All output traits will be valued-added crops that have the potential to allow growers to raise a product that could be beneficial to their farms in ways that are not possible right now," said Chad Blindauer, chairman of NCGA's Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team and a farmer in Mitchell, S.D. "We are pleased the U.S. regulatory system continues to provide growers with planting choices for their operations."

Corn amylase is approved in Japan, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Amylase was found to be safe for food and feed by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007.